Yes totally agree, trade places a pain. Paint places are hideous, need some paint mixing, but he's already doing 5 tins so stood about for 30 mins. Then lots of tapping on keyboard and then..how much! Wickes 2 mins from my house, nobody ever in, straight in, pick wood..home open till 8 on a night. Jewsons would take a hour
My TS is in the same building as Wickes, so has same opening which I think is later than normal e.g. 8-8 Saturdays.
So why don't trade places do something? To indice more people in. I live in York and over the road from my house literally 1 min drive is an industrial estate. On it is: Jewsons Wickes Travis Perkins B AND Q Screwfix Toolstation MKM Burton roofing Chapelows joinery Howden All within 30 second drive from each other, all selling similar stuff. So if someone goes in to Travis perkins and says I want to buy 20 sheets of plywood and he gives me a stupid price, he must know that if the price is outrageous he will go next door to wickes and save £10 a sheet. So saves £200 but they still make stupid prices up and won't budge on the price cause he ain't backing down and looking stupid. . I've asked for a price list and they look at you as if you've asked for something strange?
I look online at Travis Perkins and they are always dearer than Wickes? Are they not the same company?
Each Jewson branch is opperated as a septerate company having to make its own money, they have an amount they must turn over each month, you often find prices vary during the course of the month based on sales numbers. Even with an account the prices are not the same branch to branch, I needed some drainage on a job 50 miles from my local branch and the price in the branch nearest the job was so expensive I ended up having it delivery from my local branch, it just doesn't make sense at all.
I often find tools cheaper at TP than online searches, with the exception of a few Erbauer tools I never buy from SF as they are way too dear. They all have their day depending what you want. Travis, Toolstation and Wickes all part of the same group.
Not sure about wickes cheaper than screwfix? I only use them for stuff I can not get at SF and TS.. I was told the bloke who started screwfix and sold it, started Toolstation ? So how does the B and Q trade card work? I can go every day of the week and get nothing then suddenly save a £1.00, it all seems a bit random, a lot better idea the Wickes -10%
I have Trade Accounts, with that I get charged a merchants price for the materials I buy with up to 2 months credit, I regularly spend several hundred pounds each month not just once and never again, that's the deal that suits me.
So is the main benefit with trade places the credit? And in the end you pay for that with the prices? So one off purchases it's better to go to wickes?
Slightly differant but I ordered a rear light for my Renault from local Euro Car Parts, not in stock but would have next day. Listed price was around £50 and you pay when you collect My wife was going near next day so she said will pick up light. Chap served her and said ‘I’ve put it through as trade, brings it down to £30 (or there abouts) Must send her out shopping for me more often (and I won’t bother with the sexist jokes either)
If you have the time, plan the day before and find the best price. If i need something from SF I always check TS prices before ordering. This week bought 10 oak veneer doors and saved over £300 using TP. Also bought a few trend items from them as cheaper. Shop around someone has normally got a deal on somewhere. Need credit or a small amount of discount get an account. I have one at B&Q, Travis, Howdens, SF and 10% trade from Wickes. But I still shop around
Credit is a big consideration, often job is completed and paid for before the account invoice arrives, I get a reasonable discount on my materials as an account holder depending on brand of paint I buy any where around 15% - 30% off. Also you have to factor in time and costs running around here and there.. Sheds are offering Dulux Natural Hints and Crown Breatheasy at very good prices at the moment but beware they are Non Vinyl emulsions and will not like a wash over.
Where i live in Kidderminster there used to be quite a few independent merchants and all of them used to be very competitive with all the national chains for every day consumables. They have all closed down now though because the Nationals took the bread and butter trade from them (power tools, which they didn't have a hope of competing with). All we have now is SF, Toolstation, TP and B&Q. Most of my weakly/monthly repeat buying is screws, plugs, mitre bond and so on. SF is just about the only option i have because they are just about the cheapest out of the options i have. At least once served, i'm out in under 10 mins most times. The few times i have used TP i might as well have booked and eaten dinner by the time i got out of the place.............................do they not know or care that trade customers time is money ? As it happens i don't care if they do or don't, they will never get any of my money anyway. I never buy any power/cordless tools from SF though.......................much much cheaper else ware online.
Builders merchants are what are the problem in my opinion. Specific merchants such as timber merchants, plastics places, Howdens or Magnet etc are usually keen on price and keen to help. Screwfix, Toolstation are useful and usually good value. TP, Buildbase, Jewsons etc are just rip-off merchants and I avoid them like the plague. Usually staffed by wannabe/failed tradesmen who suck up to local builders and treat anyone else with contempt. They regard lumping lumping bags of sand around as "being in the trade"! Typical is having to walk in having run out of options. Idiot on counter too busy talking to some unemployed builder mate of his who is lurking about. Asks "cash or account". If you say "cash" he looks at you like you are something on his shoe. Then proceeds to chat to his mate while slowly getting you a ridiculous price. The quality and range of timber etc is diabolical too. Dedicated timber merchants have better stock, better prices, better staff and better facilities For sheets, the odd bit of sand/ballast, cement, Kingspan etc. Give me Wickes any day of the week. Quick, well priced and always in stock. Plus 15% off on Mondays, 10% off any other time. Plus great multibuys, great offers. Plus using Topcashback you can get between 1% and 5% back on click and collects.
Johnstones trade is great for paint. I don't have a trade account as decorating is not my usual gig, but always get trade price and very helpful. For a lot of the work I do, Magnet Trade is keen on price for things like PB, skim, ply and sheet material, CLS, door linings etc. Been using Selco a fair bit lately as IMO, is one of the best one stop shops for everything you could need. I no longer spend and waste hours driving around to save money on a few items and they have nearly everything you need which is useful if you're loading up at the end of the day in readiness for the next. General preference is TS over SF for consumables. Don't get me started on TP...rob dogs. EH Smith more user friendly IMO. Will buy certain items from specialist suppliers over the internet when I know the product and just want the best deal.
Yes I really tend to use the internet for whatever possible. Agree on EH Smith. They are much better than TP. I once was priced almost £25 at a TP for a small pack of Mitrebond. Available at Screwfix or TS for £6!